How Does Faulkner Represent The Compson Family?

In William Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury”, he uses the Compson family to represent the decaying south. “The Sound and the Fury” takes place in Mississippi after the civil war. During this time the south was changing drastically. Certain values and cultures that were once important became less and less important to southern people: “In the present generation… the Old South is nothing more than a memory, and the transgressions of moral limits that once offended the older generation are increasingly becoming the inescapable reality” (Gebhart 3). The Compson family represents the change in southern values and culture during this time because the Compson’s loss personal values of how a man and women should carry themselves, the Compson family
The people of their town once saw the Compson’s as a wealthy southern aristocratic family, but now the Compson’s are seen as a dysfunctional family. The destruction of the Compson family name is a representation of the death of southern aristocratic values. The new south does not care about upholding the family name like the old south did: “The line between Old and New becomes blurred and at times indefinable as the new generation moves on and fails to uphold – or blatantly disregards – the distinction and familial reputation associated with the Old South” (Gebhart 3). Many factors had apart in in the decline of the Compson family name. Factors such as a promiscuous daughter, a mentally disabled son and no land. Caddy’s promiscuity brought shame to the family. Caddy’s daughter, Miss Quentin, grew up to be just like her and brings even more shame to the family; So much shame that Mrs. Compson does not want to accept the money that Caddy sends instead she burns them. Mrs. Compson hates that Caddy ruin the family name that she does not even mention Caddy’s name in the house. She will rather miss Quentin not know about Caddy at all: “…She must never even learn that name. I forbid you ever to speak that name in her hearing. If she could grow up never to know she had a mother, I would thank God” (Faulkner 131). Another factor is Benjy, the youngest of the family.
The Compson family is not like the average southern family. Mr. and Mrs. Compson are rarely in their four children lives. Mr. Compson is an alcoholic and Mrs. Compson is too involved with herself to worry about her children. Mrs. Compson also favors Jason over her other kids: “…except Jason he never given me one moment’s sorrow since I first held him in my arms I knew then that he was to be my joy and salvation… ” (Faulkner 68). The Compson family no longer has love in their household. Everyone hates Caddy for similar reasons. Jason hates her because her promiscuity cost him a job and now he has to work at a tractor supply store for not much money. And know Jason takes his hate and anger for Caddy out on Miss Quentin. Quentin hates Caddy also for her promiscuity. Quentin believes in traditional southern values like purity.so for Caddy to be promiscuous goes against what he believes: “…why couldn’t it have been me and not her who is unvirgin…” (Faulkner 52). Because everyone seem to hate Caddy, she is banned from the family. No one cares to see Caddy or hear from her. The Compson family has fallen apart and the once southern aristocrat family no longer acts like a